There’s something about losing friends, particularly young people, where it’s not something that you get over. I don’t believe there’s a healing process. Chris Cornell

Without a doubt, in my mind at least, Chris Cornell was in the top three of all time great vocalists. On top of that his lyrics rank way up there as well. Although I am not a regular listener to Howard Stern, my friend who knows I am a Chris Cornell fan, hit me when Howard was interviewing Chris. Chris shared about his Opioid use and recovery, although the interview was great, I had this weird feeling that he was under stating his plight. I recently read a story that cited a Rolling Stone article where Chris had used drugs on a daily basis at age 13, stopped at 14, was then friendless till age 16. Then, in 2002 he went to rehab.

As much as this note started off as a Chris Cornell themed communication, it is not. Chris’ death simply lead me to want to address the terrible contradictions surrounding both addiction and recovery. Why do some folks end up addicted and others don’t? Why is it that some people enter recovery and they grasp it, stay clean and lead productive lives? Why do some people struggle with recovery? Why do some struggle and then get it? Why do some die of addiction? Why do some utilize mutual support and others reject it? Furthermore, why do some refute the disease concept? Why do some believe addiction is a disease?

The why’s seem to be endless!

Our brains need to make sense of everything around us or we feel increased stress and worry. Thus, we formulate our own set of beliefs around the “Why.” The thing that baffles me is the “How,” How do we address addiction recovery and on a grander scale, treatment? Bill Wilson indicated it would be an injustice to suggest that mutual support coupled with the Twelve Steps as the only way to recover, yet, when left to ourselves, our isolated thinking, and lack of recovery support, permanent recovery is difficult at best.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not suggesting that harm reduction in our current environment doesn’t have a place, we need to keep people alive in order for them to ever fully recover! Yet, that is simply my perspective, some people are content living in a mocus state. Some people just want to get by living completely stress free. For me, I wanted everything that life offers, I wanted to live up to my potential, I wanted to be happy, joyous and free, yet with the realization that life is tough sometimes! Furthermore, when it comes to what is considered harm reduction in my book, may be considered full recovery for others. Defining recovery for some is certainly different than how I define recovery! For me, complete abstinence, sober state of mind, an open mind, tolerance and love for others are key ingredients. I remember when I first began to recover in 1980 my concept of recovery was different, I tried a number of approaches yet they all lead me back to a hopeless state of mind. In 1988, I began a permanent abstinence lifestyle, coupled with mutual support and living principles that were conducive to sobriety.

So where am I going with this?

I was recently asked what my approach to treatment is? Do I believe in Medicated Assisted Treatment (therapy)? Truthfully, when I am asked these questions I am smart enough to know that the interviewer is seeking the “contradiction” and I do not bite! Fortunately, I am not in charge of the world, I do not make it spin and my opinion is just that, an opinion. I am here to assist people that need and want assistance, I do all I can to not cause harm to anyone, and I do my best to not talk in the definitive. Yeah, it is confusing at times, but, I do know that in my recovery, life gets better and better and better!

At some of these [steps] we balked. We thought we could find an easier, softer way. But we could not. —Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th ed., pg. 58 One of the biggest misnomers when looking into treatment for addiction is the idea that a treatment center is a “Twelve Step Program.” Truth be told, when it comes […]

“To me, every hour of the day and night is an unspeakably perfect miracle.” Walt Whitman In early recovery I had an issue with celebrating how long I was sober. I remember saying to my sponsor it seemed like it was an Academy Awards speech thanking everyone involved for the help and trust. He told […]

It took me a long time to understand that I could be what I choose to be, that I am, indeed, that which has the capacity to look fear in the eye and dissolve it. No problem can be resolved from the point of view of the problem. I learned to ask myself, “What’s another […]

Then, gathering all his forces, he attempted to stop altogether and found he could not. Big Book, 4th ed., pg. 32 If you are not an alcoholic, it is difficult to comprehend the subtle compulsion to drink. Likewise, if you are not an addict you may be baffled by the compulsion to use despite the […]

How do you know there is trouble in river city in a relationship? The first way is look at their social media pages. Clue #1 is changing the profile picture from a photo of a couple to solo shot. When is true trouble on the horizon? When the status changes from “in a relationship” to […]

“The history of free men is never really written by chance but by choice; their choice!” – – Dwight D. Eisenhower For recovering or recovered alcoholics and addicts the holidays can be a trying period of time on our sobriety. Talk in the rooms often swings to the holiday, the temptations and of course the […]

When, therefore, we speak to you of God, we mean your own conception of God. —Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th ed., pg. 47 I attend a group on the History of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) on Saturdays. It is amazing how AA has grown and flourished over the years due to some simple concepts that were inclusive and […]

“Since we cannot change reality, let us change the eyes which see reality.” –Nikos Kazantzakis Public Relations (PR) Spinners are always at work. The stigma of addiction and alcoholism rears its head on nearly a daily basis in the media. An actor is arrested for DUI and the Spin Doctors go to work immediately. The reports […]

“Mastery does not come from dabbling. We have to be prepared to pay the price. We need to have the sustained enthusiasm that motivates us to give our best.” — Eknath Easwaran In order to overcome any obstacle and addiction is an obstacle in living a successful life, we must recognize that there is a […]

Meaningful use is using certified electronic health record (EHR) technology to: Improve quality, safety, efficiency, and reduce health disparities. Engage patients and family. Improve care coordination, and population and public health. Maintain privacy and security of patient health information. Feb 6, 2015 As the advertisement says, “Finally an EHR that doesn’t suck!”… In the mid-1990’s […]